1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to substance applicators or markers and particularly to substance applicators for surfaces or items requiring the application of a mark or coating thereon by persons, wherein the substance applicator is gripped and inverted by the person and force is applied to the surface or item by way of the gripped and inverted substance applicator to apply the mark to the surface. Various applicators for use by persons to mark surfaces in this manner are commercially available. Some particularly effective prior art applicators are sold by the assignee of the subject invention, Clarence J. Venne, Inc. of Levittown, Pa., under the trademark DAB-O-INK, and are shown in the following U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D274,697, D300,118, D303,926, D396,244, D389,365 and D138,621.
While many prior art substance applicators including those of the assignee of this invention, were suitable for their intended purposes, such applicators could nevertheless leave things to be desired from one or more standpoints. For example, the prior art applicators could leave things to be desired with respect to the economics of manufacturing and, importantly, with respect to ergonomics.
In particular, the prior art is not completely satisfactory with respect to providing ease of gripping for a person who wishes to comfortably and ergonomically grip an applicator disposed in any one of a number of differing rotational positions. This is useful, for example, when the normal use of the applicator includes repeatedly disposing the applicator upon a surface, either upright or laying down on its side, and picking it up again at a later time, possibly in a different rotational position than the one in which it was originally released from the hand of the person.
However, when using the prior art applicators, it was often difficult for the person to merely pick the applicator up from a surface and grip it in whichever rotational position it may have presented itself on the surface and have his/her fingers rest against the surfaces of the applicator with which they were in contact in a manner that prevented his/her fingers and hand from becoming tired while using the applicator (for example, because of an awkward shape of the applicator).
Furthermore, it is desirable that such a grip of a applicator be comfortable both when the applicator is poised and awaiting use as an applicator, and when it is used repeatedly to apply force to a card or item to be marked. The grip is important because the applicators may be gripped tightly for long periods of time and may be forcibly applied to the card or item many times.
However, the prior art applicators have not been ergonomically designed and therefore can be awkward to hold while poised and/or while applying ink, thereby making it a tiring or even unpleasant experience to hold and use them for long periods of time. Thus, a properly designed applicator should fit the hand of the user, as well as provide resting locations for the fingers of the user while the user is gripping it, regardless of how it is griped and whether it is merely poised waiting to be used or actually being used to apply ink.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
2. Description of Related Art